IMN clinics

IMNc: Excellence in Care and Innovative Research for Neurodegenerative Diseases

The clinical branch of the Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases (IMNc) stands out for its integrated and translational approach, combining high-quality care with innovative clinical research. It encompasses several expert centres, including:

  • The Expert Center for Parkinson’s Disease;
  • The Dementia Clinic;
  • The French Reference Centre for Multiple System Atrophy
  • The Competence Centre for Tourette Syndrome
  • The Competence Centre for Rare Dementias

A Productive Collaboration Between Care and Research

This synergy between care and clinical research enhances the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and optimizes their management.

This close proximity between care and research optimizes the translation from care to clinical research, which allows:

  • To potentiate academic and industrial research,
  • To increase the capacity for promotion, inclusion potential and leadership in multicenter trials,
  • To create an “incubator” in an optimized translational environment for the development of innovations based on the transfer of fundamental knowledge,
  • To develop clinical research projects common to impaired cognition (Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders) and motor control (Parkinson’s disease and related disorders).

The IMNc team has become the cornerstone of the Bordeaux Initiative for Neurodegenerative Disorders (BIND), the centre of excellence in the field of neurodegenerative disorders (label obtained in 2015). BIND is one of the 7 French centres of excellence that features over 59 multi-disciplinary teams. It aims at bounding multiple disciplines and neurodegenerative diseases, along a continuum from preclinical to clinical research to improve care provision. This patient-centred, centripetal and transdisciplinary initiative for neurodegenerative diseases relies on a core of recognized excellence and promotes links with other disciplines. In addition, IMNc is partner of the RHU SHIVA and the IHU VBHI.

Three Strategic Research Areas

IMNc’s scientific activities are based on three core areas:

  1. The first research axis investigates the pathophysiology of movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, with emphasis on dystonia, Tourette syndrome, gait and tremor using both imaging and electrophysiological technics. The analysis of brain activity recordings from tremor patients receives particular attention within this axis for the development of innovative closed-looped deep brain stimulation techniques.
  2. The second research axis investigates the natural history of neurodegenerative disorders, identifies determinants of prognosis, survival and health-related quality of life, and assesses potential diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers by taking advantage of several well-characterized prospective clinical cohorts. The well-characterized clinical cohorts also serve for studying the pathophysiology. The local biofluid and imaging collection provides instrumental resources for the biomarker development program.
  3. The third research axis capitalizes upon the long-standing expertise of IMNc investigators in conducting clinical intervention trials. This research axis puts emphasis on the refinement of clinical assessment tools and the development of diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers. The investigators of the IMNc research team lead or contribute to numerous academic and industry-sponsored multi-center trials. In addition, and in light of the many challenges disease-modifying trials are facing in neurodegenerative disorders, the team focuses on complementary medicine and the development of non-pharmacological interventions (mindfulness, psychosocial supports, care by specialized teams, …).

A Commitment to Serving Patients

At IMNc, the patient is at the centre of all our initiatives. This philosophy guides our actions and projects. This approach guides all our activities, from care to therapeutic innovation. With its recognized expertise, IMNc is a key player in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases.

Selected publications

  1. Villain N, Planche V. Disentangling Clinical and Biological Trajectories of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Nature Rev Neurol 2024;20:693‑94. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-024-01004-3.
  2. Krismer F, Fanciulli A, Meissner WG, Coon EA, Wenning GK. Multiple System Atrophy: Advances in Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Lancet Neurol 2024;23:1252‑66. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(24)00396-X.
  3. Blard F, Erraud J, Bonnet M, Auzou N, et Tison F. « Mindfulness in Parkinson’s Disease: A French National Survey and a Pilot Intervention Feasibility Trial Using the MBSR Program (M-Park). Rev Neurol 2024;180: 77‑90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurol.2024.03.013.
  4. Meissner WG, Remy P, Giordana C, et al. Trial of Lixisenatide in Early Parkinson’s Disease. New Engl J Med 2024;390:1176‑85. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2312323.
  5. Planche V, Mansencal B, Manjon JV, Tourdias T, Catheline G, Coupé P. Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Neuroimaging Initiative and the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center cohort. Anatomical MRI Staging of Frontotemporal Dementia Variants. Alzheimer Dement 2023;19:3283‑94. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12975.
  6. Planche V, Villain N. Advocating for Demonstration of Disease Modification-Have We Been Approaching Clinical Trials in Early Alzheimer Disease Incorrectly? JAMA Neurol 2023;80:659‑60. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.0815.
  7. Saulnier T, Fabbri M, Le Goff M, Helmer C, Pavy-Le Traon A, Meissner WG, Rascol O, Proust-Lima C, Foubert-Samier A. Patient-perceived progression in multiple system atrophy: natural history of quality of life. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2024;95:804-81.
  8. Planche V, Bouteloup V, Pellegrin I, et al. Validity and Performance of Blood Biomarkers for Alzheimer Disease to Predict Dementia Risk in a Large Clinic-Based Cohort. Neurology 2023;100:e473‑84. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000201479.
  9. Poewe W, Stankovic I, Halliday G, Meissner WG, Wenning GK, Pellecchia MT, Seppi K, Palma JA, Kaufmann H. Multiple System Atrophy Nature Rev Dis Prim 2022:8;56. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-022-00382-6.
  10. Planche V, Bouteloup V, Mangin JF, et al. Clinical Relevance of Brain Atrophy Subtypes Categorization in Memory Clinics. Alzheimer Dement 2021;17:641‑52. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12231